Spring mounting



Dec. 21, 1943. R T NS ND 2,337,073

SPRING MOUNTING Filed July 21, 1941 Bov C. Townaeuo Patented Dec. 21,1943 *UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING MOUNTING Roy 0. Townsend,Lacrosse, Wis.

Application July 21, 1941, Serial No. 403,444

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mounting means for the ends ofthe leaf springs used in the suspension of vehicle wheels.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a spring mountingmeans which will permit the usually troublesome shackles to be entirelydispensed with and will permit free play of the spring ends as thespring flexes in the normal manner. Another object is to provide adevice of this nature in which provision is made for the convenient andinexpensive replacement of all parts subject to wear, and means foradequately lubricating all working parts to reduce the wear thereon. Afurther object is to provide a device of this kind which is simple,rugged and inexpensive and capable of being readily applied to thevehicle. Still a further object is to provide a spring mounting assemblyparticularly useful for heavy duty vehicles such as trailers and whichso locates the springs that the maximum stability is secured.

- These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosedin the course of the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of a vehicleframe and wheel assembly in which the springs are equipped with myinvention, the rear wheel being largely broken away to better illustratethe construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross section along the line 2-2 in Fig.1 showing the rear end spring mounting and associated parts.

Fig. 3 is a vertical and longitudinal section taken along the line 3+3in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar View but showing the front end spring mounting.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wear plate and pad member used inconnection with my spring mounting. 7

My invention is shown in the drawing as used for supporting an end of atrailer frame upon transversely spaced and axially aligned wheels but itis to be understood that the mounting means herein disclosed may be usedas well in connection with other vehicles or wherever leaf springs areemployed in vehicle-suspension.

Referring now more particularly and by refer-- ence characters to thedrawing the trailer is seen to comprise main longitudinal frame beams Fwhich are rigidly braced and cross connected in usual fashion and theframe is adapted to be supported upon the transversely spaced andaxially aligned ground wheels W-W'. For supporting the framesemi-elliptical, multi-leaf springs are employed and are locatedadjacent each wheel, one spring being here shown and designatedgenerally at S. The axle A connecting the wheels WW', and carrying thespindles therefor, is supported as here shown above the center portionof the springs and is connected rigidly thereto in a conventional mannerby U-bolts B. It is to be understood, however, that the axle may belocated beneath the springs if so desired.

In the usual spring assembly of this kind the front and rear ends of thesprings S are connected to the vehicle by means of shackles which permitthe necessary play caused by the flexing of the spring as they theyabsorb the shocks incident to travel of the wheels over the ground.

Such shackles are relatively inexpensive and troublesome and inaccordance with my invention I dispense with them entirely and providethe novel mounting means now to be described.

Inasmuch as the mountings for each spring S are duplicates, only onecomplete spring and mounting mechanism will be herein described. Thefront and rear mountings or mounting units, designated generally at 6and 1 respectively, differ slightly however and will accordingly beseparately treated.

At the outset it will be noted that the spring S is conventional insofaras the front and rear ends bow upwardly and the individual leavesincrease in length by steps from bottom to top to provide adequatestrength and flexibility. The two uppermost leaves L ---L are however ofsubstantially the same length and at their outer end portions arearcuately formed to provide upwardly rounded or convexed (when Viewedfrom the side) ends or extensions as designated at 8. The next adjacentlower leaves L and L while shorter, are so extended and arranged thatthey upwardly and yieldably brace these ends 8.

The forward mounting unit 6 comprises a housing, socket or pocket member9 which is adapted to be rigidly mounted by its closed upper side If: onthe vehicle in such position that the forward ends of the spring leavesL through L may enter loosely through the open inner or rear end I l butwill terminate short of the closed outer or forward end 12. The sides [3of this housing or body member 9 prevent lateral displacement of thespring while the closed lower side or bottom I4 prevents downwarddisplacement should the vehicle frame be lifted. Preferably the sides l3increase in vertical width in the rearward direction to give the housinga tapered shape to best accommodate and correspond to the upwardcurvature of the spring.

The rear mounting unit 1 comprises a similarly constructed housing,pocket or body member I5 mounted by its closed upper side IS on thevehicle but oppositely faced to receive the rear ends of the springleaves, L through L through its open inner or forward end H. The rear orouter end I8 is closed and sides 19 are provided but here the undersideor body is open as at 20 except immediately adjacent the rear end. Thispermits the spring to be mounted, when the units 6 and I are properlyspaced, by inserting the forward end into unit 6 in an upward andforward direction and then the rear end may be placed up through theopen bottom 20 without difficulty. Downward displacement of the rear endof the spring is then prevented by insertion of a cross.

or retaining bolt 2i through openings 22 formed in the forward, lowercorners of the sides [9 beneath the spring.

When properly mounted the housings 9 and I5 freely receive the springends and the closed ends l2 and i8 clear the spring ends sufficiently toallow the necessary forward and rearward movement or expansion as thespring flexes.

Mounted within the forward housing 9 is a wear plate 23 of such shapeand size as to fit the under surface of the closed top Ill and having aforward end 24 turned downwardly to fit the adjacent inner surface ofthe housing end l2. A bolt 25 is passed through openings 26 in theseends 2& and I2 and by means of a nut 25 the ends are clamped together tothus rigidly mount the wear plate within the housing. The opposite orrear end of the wear plate is turned downwardly to form a retaining lip21 which clears the spring S some distance. A wear pad, block or shoe 28is also provided and has a fiat, smooth upper bearing surface 29 adaptedto slidably engage the underside of the wear plate 23. This pad isshorter in a fore and aft direction, than the wear plate in order topermit free sliding movement within the limits of the space between thedownturned ends 24 and 21. The underside 30 of the pad 28 is concaved orarcuately recessed to nicely fit the arcuate end portion 8 of the springleaves L and L An identical wear plate 3| and pad or shoe member 32 areprovided within the rear housing l5, said plate having an inner and rearend 33 mounted by a bolt 35 and a forward downwardly turned retaininglip 35. The pad 32 has a flat upper bearing surface 36 to slidablyengage the underside of the wear plate and a concaved lower surface 3?to fit the arcuate rear ends 8 of the spring leaves L -L In theoperation of the structure thus far described in will be apparent thatthe weight of that part of the vehicle carried by the wheels W-W' willbe supported through the housings 9l5, wear plates 2.-33i and pads28-452 upon the arcuated ends 8 of the spring. As the wheels then moveupwardly or downwardly during travel over irregular surfaces theresulting longitudinal movements or expansion and contraction of thespring S will be permitted by back and forth movements of the pads 2832beneath the wear plates 23-3l, such movement being facilitated by theflat and smooth contacting surfaces of these parts. The arcuate ends 8of the springs may rocl; or pivot slightly in the concaved lower sidesof the pads 23-32 to compensate for the slight vertical rocking orwalking beam motion of the spring and this without in any way reducingthe effective weight supporting and bearing surface between spring endsand pads. Obviously the only wear occurs between the wear plates andpads and, since both are small, simple and inexpensive, theirreplacement when required is an easy matter.

To reduce such wear and to enchance the smoothness of operation Iprovide lubricating means for the parts as will now be described. Thehousings 9l5 each have a centrally located opening 38 through the uppersides ill-l6 and each opening enters at its lower end a longitudinallyelongated groove 39 in the underside of the said closed sides Ill-l6.Each wear plate 233l then has a pair of centrally located andlongitudinally spaced ports 40 which register with the respective endsof the grooves 39. The pads 28-32 have longitudinally extending grooves4| in their upper bearing surfaces 29 and 36 and centrally locatedopenings 42 which open through the rounded lower surfaces Bil-37.Obviously by forcing grease or oil into the openings 38 it will flowbetween the wearing surfaces of the wear plates and pads and between thepads and spring ends 8 to lubricate same and reduce the wear. Thespacing and elongation of the grooves is such that adequate lubricationwill be provided in any position of the pads.

In the particular installation here shown the trailer frame beams F, bythe nature of their use, are relatively closely spaced and to widen thespring centers I provide cross beams 43 and i l which extend outwardlyat their ends beyond the sides of the beams F and are spaced apartlongitudinally to accommodate the spring mounting units 6 and "i. Thehousings 9 and [5 of these units are accordingly secured, as by weldingto the lower flanges 45 of the cross beams ii-4d at the outer endsthereof to thus widen the spacing between spring centers and increasestability.

To conduct the lubricating material to the openings 33 transverse,outwardly opening bores 46 are formed at the junction of the housings9-45 and flanges 45 and such bores may be tapped as at 47 to receive anyconventional grease fitting (not shown).

Side plates 48 are welded to the outer ends of the cross beams 4344 andto the sides of the beams F to blend with outer sides of the housings9-45 and enhance the appearance of the entire installation.

Thrust rods 49 are pivotally connected at 50 to the wheel axle A andextend rearwardly immediately over the springs S to the rear cross beam44 where they are pivoted at 5| to apertured members 52 secured in saidcross beam. Obviously when the wheel axle'A is arranged beneath thesprings the rear ends of the thrust rods might be mounted beneath theunits 6 and I by suitable brackets (not here shown).

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in thestructure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within thespirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fullyillustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new anddesire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vehicle suspension assembly including a leaf spring and a wheelsupporting the spring at one point, means for supporting the vehicle onthe spring, comprising a shoe member slidably mounted and supportablyconnected with the vehicle, the said shoe member having a concaved lowerside, and the said spring having at least one upper leaf upwardlyrounded to pivotally engage said concaved lower side of the shoe memberand to restrain the spring and shoe member against relative endwisemovements.

2. The combination in a vehicle suspension assembly including a leafspring, of means for supportably connecting the vehicle to the spring,comprising a pad member arranged for sliding movement in a line parallelwith the length of the spring, means supportably connecting the padmember and vehicle, the underside of the pad member having a roundedsurface, and the end of the spring being upwardly arched to fit saidrounded surface and bear upwardly thereagainst, said rounded surface andarched spring end permitting rocking movements of the spring withrespect to the pad and in an upright plane.

3. In a vehicle suspension assembly including a leaf spring wheelsupported at one point and adapted at one end to yieldably and upwardlysupport the vehicle, a wear plate, means securing said wear plate to thevehicle, a pad member slidably and upwardly engaging said wear plate forendwise movement thereon in a direction substantially parallel with thelongitudinal axis of the spring, said pad having an under surfaceconcaved and upwardly rounded, and the said spring having an end portionupwardly rounded to supportably and oscillatably fit said concaved undersurface of the pad member.

4. In a vehicle suspension assembly including a leaf spring, mountingmeans for the ends of the spring comprising body members secured to thevehicle, wear plates mounted in said body members, pads upwardlyengaging the wear plates and slidable therebeneath, the ends of thespring being inserted into said body members and bearing upwardlyagainst the undersides of said pads, and the contacting surfaces of thesprings and pads being arcuately formed and rounded to permit upward anddownward oscillating movements of the spring relative to the pads.

5. In a vehicle suspension assembly including a semi-elliptical leafspring, mounting means for the ends of the spring comprising bodymembers secured to the vehicle, wear plates mounted in said bodymembers, pads upwardly engaging the wear plates and slidable in anendwise direction therebeneath, the ends of the spring being insertedinto said body members and bearing upwardly against the undersides ofsaid pads, and the contacting surfaces of the springs and pads beingarcuately formed and rounded in a direction longitudinally extendingwith respect to the spring and vehicle to permit upward and downwardoscillating movements of the spring relative to the pads, the said bodymembers having side portions to prevent lateral displacement of the padsand spring ends.

6. In a spring suspension mechanism for a vehicle including a leafspring adapted to yieldably and upwardly support the vehicle, a mountingand connecting means for an end of said spring comprising a pocketmember secured to the vehicle and having an open end to loosely receivethe spring end and sides to prevent lateral displacement thereof, a wearplate secured in said pocket member, a shoe arranged below the wearplate and bearing upwardly thereagainst for movement in a longitudinaldirection parallel with the length of the spring, the said spring endbeing arranged to bear upwardly against the underside of the shoe, andthe said wear plate having end portions turned downwardly to limitlongitudinal movements of the shoe.

7. In a vehicle suspension assembly including a leaf spring, means formaking connection between the end of the spring and the vehicle,comprising a body member secured to the vehicle and loosely receivingthe end of the spring, a wear plate secured in the body member, a padslidably and upwardly bearing against the underside of the wear plate,the said spring end being arranged to bear upwardly against theunderside of the pad, and the said body member, wear plate and padhaving openings to conduct a lubricant to the bearing surfaces betweenthe pad and the wear plate and spring end, the said pad having also agroove to receive lubricant from the openings in the wear plate in anyrelative position of the pad with respect to the wear plate.

8. In a vehicle suspension assembly including a leaf spring, means forsupportably connecting an end of the spring to the vehicle, comprising ashoe member slidably mounted for endwise movements in the direction ofthe length of the spring and supportably connected with the vehicle, thesaid shoe member having an upwardly concaved lower side, and the saidspring having an upwardly convexed portion engaging the concaved lowerside of the shoe member to maintain a long bearing surface therewith andto permit relative rocking movements between spring and shoe memberwhile preventing sliding movements of the shoe member relative to thespring.

ROY C. TOWNSEND.

